According to the US Navy,the USS Fort McHenry (LSD 43),with embarked elements of the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU),began a north-bound transit of the Dardanelles Strait from the Mediterranean Sea to the Black Sea on 6 January 2019.The warship,a Whidbey Island-class dock landing ship,is on a routine operation meant to demonstrate the inherent flexibility and capability of the US 6th Fleet naval forces,while reaffirming our collective resolve to Black Sea security and enhancing our strong relationships with our NATO allies and partners in the region,noted 6th Fleet commander VADL Lisa M. Franchetti.*
On 7 January,the Fort McHenry docked at the port city of Constanta,Romania.Russia had dispatched the frigate RFS Pytlivy 808 from its Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol to surveil the Fort McHenry's operations-even its port call at Constanta.The Russian Defence Ministry said:
Patrol ship Pytlivy of Russia's Black Sea Fleet is performing a complex of activities to control the actions of amphibious transport dock (LSD) USS Fort McHenry.*
The Fort McHenry carries a Marine detachment of 402+102 surge.It has a complement of 22 officers and 391 enlisted.The warship's armament consists of:
2x25mm Mk38 cannons;
2x20mm Phalanx CIWS mounts;
2x Rolling Airframe missiles;
and 6x.50caliber M2HB machine guns.
It is a member of the USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) Amphibious Ready Group and is on a seven-month deployment to the US 6th Fleet Area of Responsibilty,about half of the Atlantic Ocean between the Arctic Ocean and Antarctica.
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